Must Read YA Books About Mental Health

Ever notice how mental health never really gets broached in children's lit, but becomes the main theme in many adult books? There's a reason for that. Mental illnesses often surface during the teens and early 20s, which makes it a way more relatable subject for older crowds.

Many YA books about mental health, in particular, have amazing words of wisdom for teens and young adults who are just starting to realize that something isn't right with their health. They also offer epic storylines and realistic main characters at the turn of every page.

According to librarians, the following YA books are awesome when it comes to hearing a voice that tells you you're not alone in the struggle against mental illness.

While a lot of YA books about mental health may try to "pull punches" about the difficulties involved in coping, The Rest of Us Just Live Heredoes not. This multi-award-winning book offers a very honest look at the many different ways people live their lives — all while parodying the fantasy novels that include "chosen ones" in them.

Patrick Ness, in his own hilarious way, gives us the nod that it's okay to be normal. The Rest of Us Just Live Here also makes a point of showing us that people come in all different packages, and that we're all human at the end of the day.

Except for extraterrestrials. They're not human at all.

If you're looking for YA books about mental illness, dealing with depression, grief, and bereavement, look no further than Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places.

The book follows Theodore Finch, a suicide-obsessed teenager who meets Violet Markey, a girl who's still grieving her sister's death. They're both teens at the edge of suicide, and with some help from one another, they may end up making it out alive.

The struggles with depression are real, and so are the ways that the kids cope with it. If you're wondering what it's like to deal with these issues, All the Bright Places is a very honest answer.

It's so rare to see a fantasy novel series that actually talks about mental illness, and that's precisely why Six of Crows is one of the best YA books about mental health. Unlike most of the other fantasy books you'll see, the characters in Six of Crows suffer from PTSD — and seriously struggle with it.

If you're sick of seeing heroes who see horrific things, only to remain unfazed by them, you'll enjoy Six of Crows and its more realistic outlook on what life in a fantasy world would be like.

Mosquitoland isn't a book that's fully about mental health; it's a coming-of-age book that addresses a number of hard-hitting topics. But, the sheer level of empathy that Arnold takes when it comes to approaching mental illness is what makes this one of the best YA books about mental health.

The lead character has psychosis, another supporting character was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, and yet another character is depressed. It's funny at times, hard-hitting at others, and you'll find yourself in each of the characters at one time or another.

Without a doubt, everyone who's seen the TV series by the same name already knows why this is one of the most important YA books about mental health to ever hit the shelves.

Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why is the book that sparked the hit Netflix series, and offers brutally honest reasons as to why people end up committing suicide. It's painful to read, but at the same time, gives you a lot of solace in knowing you're not alone.

Fans of the Impossible Life is definitely one of the more upbeat books on this list, but there's still a lot of trenchant moments. This book follows a depressed girl as she struggles with the unspoken stigma of mental illness — and how it affects people around her.

This is one of those books that reminds you that depression can happen to anyone. If you're a fan of books that show the subtleties surrounding mental health, you're going to enjoy Scelsa's book, and the characters she creates, too.

Anorexia is one of the mental illnesses you have to experience in order to understand, and to a point, that's why so few YA books about mental health try to even broach the subject. (Actually, any eating disorder's hard to discuss unless you're "there," especially anorexia.)

Wintergirls, though, does an amazing job of showing others what it's like to be anorexic, and also begs ED sufferers to take an honest look at themselves. A lot of girls who were friends with Ana and Mia will recognize themselves here — for better or for worse.

If you're having a hard time coping with bullying, or if you have social anxiety, you'll find a lot in common with Audrey — from Finding Audrey. This book follows a young teenager who's struggling with social anxiety, after having been bullied for years.

This book has a lot of heartwarming moments, awkward teen insecurity moments, and coming-of-age moments, that are incredibly realistic. As such, it's worth a read for anyone in high school looking for a voice they can relate to.

Schizophrenia is actually fairly rarely portrayed in YA books about mental illness — unless they're horror stories. Made You Up is one of the better books in this respect because it's an honest-yet-empathetic look at what it's like to cope with schizophrenia.

The protagonist, Alex, is in a constant battle to find out what's real and what isn't...and unfortunately, ends up falling in love right when she's starting to figure out life. She's used to being "crazy," but can she actually handle "normal?"

If you love books that make you question reality, you'll enjoy Made You Up.

Most YA books about mental health issues aren't exactly guy-centric. In fact, the vast majority of the books you'll see have female protagonists. That's why we're loving The Downside of Being Charlie.

It's one of the very few books that shows a male struggling with depression, an eating disorder, and the ups and downs of growing up. Written candidly and impressively realistically, The Downside of Being Charlie is a great book for any guy who wants to hear things from a relatable voice.